Vegetable-cutter



(Mode L) WEBB Vegetable Gutter. No 243,182. Patented June 2I, I88].

Elvenor N. PETERS. Phclo-Lllhuflnphor. Washington. DV (2.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY WEBB, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VEG ETABLE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,182, dated June 21, 1-881.

Application filed November 6, 1880. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY WEBB, of Oincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vegetable-Outters, of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention relates to those machines in which the vegetables are forced against the knives or cutters by means of springs attached to the follower and hopper; and my improvement comprises a novel combination of elastic straps or thongs and rollers, which thongs are so arranged as to advance the follower and at the sametilne prevent the vegetables becoming wedged between said follower and the sides of the hopper, as hereinafter described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of my vegetable-cutter, taken in the-planeofthe driving-shaft. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine, a portion of the slide being broken away so as to expose one of the rollers and elastic thongs. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the lower part of the hopper and follower, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the knives and its accessories.

A represents a vertical frame having a bottom flange, B, and a top flange, O, the lower one being provided with a longitudinal rib, I), that enters a corresponding groovein the lower edge of slide D, while the upper edge of said slide is furnished with a tongue, (I, traversing a suitable groove in the flange C. By this arrangement the reciprocating slide or carriage is confined to a correct vertical path with reference to frame A, the desired movements of said carriage being efl'ected by a pitman, E, coupled to an eccentric or crank, F, of drivingshaft G, the outer end of which shaft terminates with a square arbor, g, for attachment of a crank or pulley or gearwheel. This slide is pierced with one or more verticalopenings or slots, H, each of which slots is guarded at rear with a knife, I, having two cutting-edges, M, as

more clearly shown in Fig. 4. These knives may be attached to the slide in any convenient manner; but itis preferred to secure them with screws J, one or more washers, j, being interposed between said knife and slide for the purpose of regulatin g the thickness of slice to be out from the vegetables placed in the machine.

Projecting rearwardly and horizontally from the frame A is a box or hopper, L, open at top and bottom, but closed at front by the slide D and at rear by the follower N, which follower is adapted to reciprocate within said hopper, and is provided with a handle, 0, wherewith it is retracted. The front end of this follower is slotted at n n, to permit the passage of two elastic thongs, P P, which thongs, after being secured to said follower at p 1) respectively, are passed around vertical rollers R R and then secured at Z Z to the outer sides of hopper L. These rollers are journaled in the opposite sides of the hopper, as seen in Fig. 1, and prevent the thongs or straps P P wearing out by being constantly chafed where they pass through the slots in said hopper.

S are holes to admit screws or other retaining devices for securing the slicer to a table or other convenient support.

To operate this machine the follower N is first retracted by hand, and the vegetables are then deposited in the receptacle formed between the sides of hopper L, the front end of said follower and the slide D, and the inner portions of the thongs P P, after which act the operator quits his hold of the handle 0. The moment this is done the elastic thongs P P are free to exert their full force in advancing follower N toward the slide D, which act brings the vegetables in close contact'with the knives I. Power is now applied to driving- I shaft Gr, so as to impart a rapid reciprocation to slide D and cause its knives to slice off the substances placed in the hopper, the edges 7; of all the knives acting while said slide is moving to the left, and the edges 'i operating when the slide is traveling to the right, the particles thus out 01f being discharged through the openings H and falling into a suitable receptacle beneath the machine- As the substances are gradually reduced by this cutting action of the knives the elastic thongs P P advance the follower continuously, and thereby render the feed of the machine automatic and perfectly regular and uniform.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be noticed that the thongs P P extend from the followerNto the rollers R R in an oblique manner, and thereby act as guards to prevent the vegetables accumulating at the angles formed at the junctions of said follower N and the hopper L. Consequently the vegetables cannot work in between said follower and hopper and inter-' The combination, in a vegetable-cutter, ofreciprocatin g slide 1), armed with double-edged knives I i i, fixed hopper L, sliding follower N, elastic thongs P P, and rollers R R, said thongs being arranged, as herein described, to 20 advance the follower and prevent vegetables entering between it and the sides of said hopper, as set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

SIDNEY WEBB.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, JOHN Q. PORTER. 

